They are a significant symbol in tibetan buddhism, not in theravada buddhism. In theravada, the importance is given to admirable friends, companions in the holy life.

He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' (Jhana Sutta - Thanissaro Bhikkhu translation)

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

The one-l lama, He's a priest. The two-l llama, He's a beast. And I will bet A silk pajama There isn't any Three-l lllama.

-Ogden Nash

(Nash added as a footnote, *The author's attention has been called to a type of conflagration known as a three-alarmer. Pooh.)

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]

Seth19930 wrote:Thanks! Well since I've already posted in a Theravada discussion forum does anyone have knowledge pertaining to why llamas are significant in Tibetan Buddhism?

Hi, Seth,Lamas are highly trained priests. That's one reason they are respected.For most of Tibet's history, hardly anyone except the lamas got much of an education in anything, so lamas were also respected for their other kinds of expertise.Finally, Tibetan Buddhism gives teachers - lamas - far more spiritual authority than other Buddhist schools give to monks.

Man I step out to get groceries and all the good llama puns are taken by the time I get back...

Just my luck!

Anyway a Lama is just a term for a highly respected teacher of Tibetan Buddhism - and as Tibetan Buddhism focuses heavily on student-teacher relationships and Dharma transmission, they form an integral part of the lineage chain that defines their school.

Gain and loss, status and disgrace, censure and praise, pleasure and pain:these conditions among human beings are inconstant,impermanent, subject to change.

“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.” - Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:in mountain clefts and chasms,loud gush the streamlets,but great rivers flow silently.- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Lamas resemble mothers in that they have given birth internally to what is sublime. In other words, lamas are people who are extraordinarily advanced in spiritual development. Moreover, lamas help others to give birth to their own achievements of similar states.

It actually depends on what you practice. At some point, lama might become essential for the path, especially if one is trying to engage to tantric practices. As they saying goes: "guru is the path". However, there's plenty of mahayana, and some similar to theravadin tradition, which doesn't require any commitment or guru-disciple relationship. In addition, guru doesn't necessarily have to be a monk or a nun. There are also gurus who are laypeople.